Toy.



No. 695,700. Patented Mar. ls, |902.

c. W. RITTER.

TOY.

(Applicstioxi led Jan. 18, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -L Patented Mar. I8 C. W. RITTER.

TOY.

(Application led I an. 1S, 1902.)

(Nn Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

1 YN: Nonna linens cn.. Fumo-urna.. wAsmNGY'oN. q. 6-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFErcE.

CHARLES W. RITTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO.4695,700, dated March 18,1902. Application tiled January 13, 1902. I Serial No. 89,408. l(No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. RITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

`My invention consists of a novel construction of a toy wherein a casing, which may bemade to simulate a house, dwelling, or other structure, is provided with one or more openings corresponding, for instance, to windowopenings, for which suitable movable closures, such as blinds, are provided, while adjacent said openings are movable figures, devices being also provided for opening a olof sure and causing a iigureto appear at the opening and then for withdrawing said ligure and closing said closure, suchdevices being actuated, for instance, by a ball or marble, forming a part thereof, and which is inserted in the casing and by reason of its descent therethrough actuates said devices and figures and closures.

It further consists of novel details of conf struction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a toy embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 1. Fig.` 3 represents a section on line e e', Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a View similar to the lower lefthand portion of Fig. 2, but showing the blind Open and the gure tilted from the position seen in Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a side of the casing, and'2 designates an end thereof, said casing being preferably constructed to simulate a house, dwelling, or

other structure, having the chimney 3, forming an opening at the top thereof. The said casing is provided with, as will be hereinafter specifically pointed out, a plurality of openings simulating window-openings, movable closures therefor simulating blinds, and movable figures at said openings. In operation these blinds are opened and at the same time the figures are made to appear at the window and then withdrawn and the bund Closed by suitable actuating means or devices, which in accordance with my invention can be variously arranged, and as one embodiment for carrying out this operation I have shown oertain devices which will now be described, although it will be understood that except in the claims for the specific construction my vinvention is not confined to such devices, but rather to means for actuating the closures or blinds and the figures in the manner described. The said opening 3 is the aperture through which the ball or marble 4 is adapted to be inserted, said ball being received upon a stationary chute or Way 5, said balls after rolling through the opening 6 dropping upon a movable chute 7, which is pivotally supported at 8 and provided with an opening 9, through which rthe ball 4 is adapted to descend upon the pivoted chute 10.

ll designates an abutment which is adapted to deflect the ball 4 through the opening 9.

12 designates a connection having its upper extremity suitably secured, at 13 to the chute 7,- while the lower extremity 14 of said connection is adapted to engage the lever 15,

which has one end supported from the fixed point 16, while its other end is provided with an eye or loop 17, through which freely passes the arm 18 of an elbow-lever, which-'has the member 19 rotatablymounted in thebearings 20, said arm 19 having mounted thereon the figure 21, simulating a human being, from a suitable portion of which the link 2 2 extends, which is suitably connected to an eye carried by the door 23, so that it `will be seen that when the ball fi strikes the upper extremity of the pivoted chute 7 the latter will be depressed and assume the position seen in dotted lines, whereupon the connection 12 will be raised in the direction of the arrowa, so'

that the wire 15 will assume the positionseen in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the ligure 21 will move to the left, orinto the position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2, simultaneously with l the opening of the closure or, blind 23. As

soon as the marble leaves the chute 7andl dropsupon the chute 10 said chute 7 will assume the position seen in full lines again, as will also the figure 21 and the connections common to said figure and chute 7, it being noted IOO that the pivot 8 in connection with the figure 21 is such as to return the chute and said iigure to the position noted.

The chute l0 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 and is connected with the iignre 24 by means of a link 25, connected with the crank end 26 of the rock-shaft 27, mounted in the bearings 28, the other or angular end 29 of said rock-shaft carrying the figure 24, and said figure 24 is connected with the closure or blind 30 by means of a link 31, connected by eyes with said figure and with said blind 30. This figure is normally in the position shown in Fig. l; but when the marble drops upon the upper end of the chute lO it depresses this end of the chute, thereby throwing the figure forward and opening the blind, the parts being returned to their normal position when the marble rolls upon the lower end of the chute 1'0 and through the opening 32 in the lower end thereof. The chute 33, upon which the marble now rolls, is also pivoted and is connected, by means of a link 34, with the lever 35, pivoted to the rear side of the casing, and whose forward end is provided with an eye 36, that receives the angular end 37 of the rock-shaft 38, said rock-shaft being supported by the bearings 39. The other end of the rock-shaft 38 is provided with an angular end piece 40, upon which the figure 41 is mounted, this figure 41 being connected, by means of a link 42, with the blind 43, said link 42 being provided with eyes at its ends engaging eyes upon the figure and upon the blind. It will therefore be seen that when the marble falls upon the upper end of the chute 33 this chute tilts upon its pivots and throws the iignre 41 forward from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4, the same being withdrawn as the marble reaches the lower end of the chute 33 and falls through the opening 44 onto the next chute 45. This latter chute 45 is connected, by means of a link 4G, with the lever 47, that is pivoted to the rear side of the casing and is provided with an eye 48 at its free end, receiving the angular end 49 of the rock-shaft 50, the latter being supported in bearings 51, and having its other end provided with an angular end piece upon which the figure 51 is carried. This figure 51 is connected, by means of the link 52, with the blind 53, said link having eyes at its end connected with eyes upon the figure and upon said blind. Thus when the marble strikes the upper end of the chute 45 this figure is thrown forward and the blind is opened, as shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 3.

From the lower end of the chute 45 extends a stationary chute 54, that leads to the door 55 in the lower floor of the house, said door being provided with a spring 56, that serves to close the door after the marble rolls out.

In this way it is seen that I provide a novel toy which aiords amusement and enjoyment, for as soon as the marble is dropped in through the opening formed by the chimney it rolls 4quickly from one chute to another and successively opens the different closures or blinds at which a igure appears and quickly returns, and the blind is immediately closed, and by arranging the successive blinds in different parts of the house or casing the effect produced is unexpected and comical.

It will be understood, of course, that I can change the number of figures and blindsthat is to say, the number may be increased or diminished-or their location can be varied, as well as the particular mechanism and the connections between the figures and the chutes by which the former are operated by the movement of the latter, and I do not, therefore, limit myinvention to the particular connections between said parts I have illustrated and described except in the claims for this specific construction.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the kind specified, a frame, a plurality of movable chutes mounted thereon, a plurality of figures connected with said chutes and adapted to be actuated by the movement of the chutes, the receiving end of each successive chute being situated adjacent the delivery end of the preceding chute.

2. In a device of the kind specified, a casing provided with apertures, movable closures for said apertures, movable figures mounted adjacent'said apertures and connected with said closures, and a plurality of movable chutes connected with said figures.

3. In a device of the kind specified, a casing having apertures, a plurality of successivelyarranged chutes mounted therein, the receiving end of each successive chute being situated adjacent the delivery end of the preceding chute, a stationary chute situated above the upper movable chute, an inlet-opening being formed in the casing adjacent the upper end of said stationary chute, and a plurality of movable figures situated adjacent said apertures and connected with said movable chutes and adapted to be actuated by the movement thereof.

4. In a device ofthe kind specified, acasing having apertures, a plurality of inclined chutes pivotally mounted therein, a plurality of movable figures situated adjacent the ap ertures in the casing and connected with said chutes to be actuated thereby, and closures for said apertures connected with said figures.

5. In a device of the kind specified, a casing having apertures, movable chutes adapted to IOO IOS

IIO

be operated by the passage of a ball or weight,

movable figures pivotally mounted adjacent said apertures, closures for said apertures con nected with said figures, and a connection between said flgures and said chutes whereby the latter serve to actuate the former.

6. In a device of the kind specified, a casing having an inlet at the upper end and apertures, a stationary chute situated below said inlet, a plurality of pivoted inclined chutes situated below said stationary chute, said chutes being l arrangerl to successively deliverl a traveling object from' one to ythe other, a

l plurality of figures situatedadj'acent said apertures, and connected l with the movable chutes to be operated thereby,la stationary' chute leading from the deliveryend ofl the lower movable chute, and aself-closing door' in the lowerside of the casing situated at the end of said lower stationary chute.

'7. In a device of the kind spe'ciiied, a casingV having apertures, a plurality 'of movable chutes, a plurality of movable figures', situ,

ated adjacent said apertures and carriedby rock-shafts mounted upon said'casing, and

connections between said rock-'shaftsandV said movable chutes for actuating said g'-,

ures: Y

8; In a device of the kind specified, a casing having apertures, a pluralityof movable figures carried by rock shafts mounted upon bearings adjacent said apertures, said rockshafts having angular end portions, a lever mounted upon the casing andengagingsaid 'angular end portions of the rock-shafts, and

connectionsbetween said chutes and said le vers. Y 4

`9. In a device ofthe kind specified, a' casing Vhaving an opening therein, a movable closure for said opening, `a movable, gure.,situated" withinthe casing adjacent saidopening, d evices for `opening and closing said closure,

` Witnessesz" and for 'movingvsaid figure towardand withdrawing the Vsamevfrornsaifd opening and an independent movable weight adaptedvin its passage vto contact'with'said devices toauto'- matically operate the same.

10.,.In a device of the kind specified ,a casing having a plurality of openings, movable Yclosures' for said openings, movable iigures situated Within the casing adjacent openings, de@

vices forsuccessively openinfgand closingth'ef Vdifferent closures, and for moving the corresponding Iigures toward andh'awayfroml said openingsas the closure is opened and closed and an independent weight adapted in its passage 'to contact successively with said devices to automatically operate the same.

ll. In a device of'the kind speciied,a'ca'sing s provided` with'op'enings, movable closures for said openings, lanV independent weight, movable igu'res mounted adjacent said openings',

sie

and meansactuated bythe passage of the in'-v dependent weight for operating 'said igures and closures,whereby sai'dc] osures are opened and closed, 'and`said 'gures 'caused to" ap:

pearl-atsaidv openings vwhen said closures are opened; Y g

' cHAsw. RITTER. l

WALTER M. CRAM, ADELAID'E C.`THo MAs. u 

